68
Chapter 68
We spent half the day wandering around, but we couldn't find even a shadow of Dardan.
The city was quite large, and the atmosphere was still too grim to freely explore certain areas.
The soldiers immediately glared at any group that stood out, and our status as mercenaries acted as both a weapon and a shackle.
"...Are you sure we can actually find him? What if he already left the city?"
Silon grumbled from behind us.
"Maybe."
"I don't know. I doubt he's left already."
I muttered, casting my gaze toward the outskirts of the city.
The checkpoints had noticeably tightened since the war.
Could a sloppy guy like Dardan have slipped out of the city through all this chaos?
No matter how skilled of a swindler he was, there was no way a criminal could casually leave under these circumstances.
"No, I'm telling you I didn't sell that!"
The outskirts, in a narrow alley behind the Workshop District.
A loud voice shattered the silence of the area.
I paused for a moment, wondering if a fight had broken out, but the voice sounded familiar.
"...No way."
I stopped walking and cautiously peeked around the corner of the alley.
There was a short man, waving his arms as he protested to someone.
He wore a tattered coat, carried a mysterious pouch on his back, and his eyes held an unbelievable shiftiness.
It was Dardan.
"Ah, that bastard!"
Baldic cursed under his breath from behind.
Silon looked completely clueless, while Eileen quietly tilted her head.
"Is that really him?"
"Yeah. That's Dardan all right. He still sounds and moves the exact same way."
Baldic muttered, grinding his teeth.
I kept my lips tightly shut and glared at Dardan.
'...We have to catch him before he runs away.'
The argument in the alley was still ongoing.
Dardan was waving his hands, using his whole body to plead his innocence.
Let's strike while he's distracted.
I spoke quietly.
"Let's go now."
Baldic clenched his fists and nodded.
Silon followed along despite his confusion, and Eileen stayed one step behind.
Finally, we might be able to catch the bastard before he could escape.
I stepped into the alley, determined not to let him get away this time.
"This dog bastard stole my stuff!"
"I swear it wasn't me— Ugh!"
Thwack!
Dardan's body was sent flying backward.
Honestly, it was a pretty satisfying sight.
"...He could use another hit."
Baldic muttered from the side, and I found myself nodding in agreement.
Dardan slumped to the ground, clutching his shoulder. As if finally realizing the severity of the situation, he scrambled to look up at his opponent and spoke.
"W-Wait a minute! It's a misunderstanding! Seriously, it wasn't me this time!"
"You said that last time, too."
"I'm really innocent this time! I'll even swear on it!"
Baldic snorted at his words and said.
"He goes around acting like this all the time."
"I admit I did it before, but this time I really—!"
"......"
"......!"
Dardan's eyes met mine.
His jaw dropped, and a look of absolute doom washed over those familiar eyes.
I gave a small wave.
"It's been a while, Dardan."
"...Uh, uh. U-uh?!"
"You were just thinking about running away, weren't you?"
"No!? Never! What are you-"
Baldic stepped forward.
"First of all, let's start by tying up that damn tongue of yours."
"Urgh!?"
Dardan was grabbed by the scruff of his neck, looking as if he were being dragged.
He definitely wasn't getting away this time.
"Huh? Who are you people? That guy is mine-"
The man who had Dardan by the collar glared at us and spoke.
However, his words trailed off quickly.
His gaze shifted to Baldic and the weapons in our hands, and he wisely shut his mouth a moment later.
We were fully armed, and with Eileen and Silon included, there were four of us.
Besides, it was glaringly obvious that Dardan was deeply entangled with us.
The man scowled and muttered under his breath as he backed away.
"Tch, what rotten luck... Take him or don't. I don't care."
He then shoved past us roughly and left the area.
Left behind, Dardan stared at us with a blank expression, his collar still firmly grasped.
"Did you s-save me-"
"How should we kill this guy?"
"Huh?"
At Baldic's words, Dardan freaked out and tried to scramble backward.
"Hey, do you know where the Information Guild is?"
Dardan stared at me blankly before freezing completely at the question.
"Y-Yes...? Why do you ask...?"
"If you pretend not to know, I'll bury you for real. Do you have any idea what we've been through because of you?"
Baldic slowly uncrossed his arms and approached. Dardan flinched, taking a step back.
"W-Well, you see... I have heard of the Information Guild. But it's not exactly a place just anyone can waltz into..."
"Do you roughly know the location?"
"I do know! Really! I briefly followed someone who wanted to trade with them a while ago! It's on the northern outskirts. I saw them making contact behind an old beer warehouse there!"
"...Look at you spilling the beans when asked."
Baldic snorted and shook his head in disbelief.
He let out a sigh and released his grip on Dardan's collar.
"Don't even think about running. We're not the type to hunt you down just to chat. It's much easier to just kill you on the spot."
"I understand! Trust me, I really mean it this time!"
He let out a hollow laugh, waving both his hands in surrender.
"Alright, then guide us there. If you're telling the truth, I'll let you go in one piece."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
With that, we began our walk toward the northern Warehouse District, putting our meat shield and guide Dardan at the front.
"Why is that damn guild hiding like this?"
"I suppose it's because they're an organization that handles information. I heard they get a lot of pushback from various factions."
That made sense.
From what I knew, even the Thieves Guild—the one Cowin, who died in the dungeon, belonged to—wasn't this secretive.
They operated in the shadows too, but I'd heard they didn't feel vastly different from the Mercenary Guild.
"But why is the Information Guild..."
"What are you going to do with that information?"
At my words, Dardan let out a hollow laugh and made an excuse.
"O-Oh, nothing. It's just... since I'm the one taking you there, I was hoping to build some trust-"
"Oh please, what is this stolen goods thief spouting now."
Thwack!
Baldic, unable to hold back, smacked the back of his head.
"Gah!"
Dardan flinched with a yelp.
Seeing this, Silon nervously rubbed the back of his own head.
"Ah, seriously... This is why I hate getting involved with Mercenaries..."
"But why are you so curious about that?"
I asked, feigning nonchalance.
"O-Oh, no reason. It's just... a guy I brought along once spilled some info and ran off. I've made it a habit to be careful ever since."
"A guy like that ran off?"
As Baldic crossed his arms and leaned in, Dardan froze completely and bowed his head.
"That's... I was really out of my mind back then. I apologize. I truly regret it."
"If you're really sorry, why are you talking like that?"
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
I didn't exactly want to defend the guy, but he was somewhat helpful this time, so I decided to let it slide for today.
Feeling generous, I spoke to Dardan.
"Don't speak until we get there. Breathe quietly, too."
"Yes, yes... Understood!"
While Dardan walked, making himself as small as possible, the outskirts warehouse district soon came into view.
"Is this it?"
"Yes, this way."
Following Dardan's lead past a few buildings, a massive Warehouse, about the size of three or four inns combined, appeared.
The roof was half caved in, and the exterior walls were faded and cracked.
The window frames were full of dust and Spider Webs. Anyone could tell it was an Abandoned Building.
"...Here?"
"Let's go in first."
Creeeak-
The door opened easily.
A creaking sound spread from the rusted Hinge, and the smell of dry dust wafted out from inside.
The interior of the Warehouse was desolate.
Despite the faded sign depicting a Wooden Cup, there wasn't a hint of alcohol in the air.
Straw was haphazardly scattered across the floor, and a few empty Oak Barrels were tumbling around on the Shelf.
At a glance, it was an Abandoned Building that hadn't been touched in years.
Baldic peeked inside the door and spoke.
"Hey, Dardan. You're not tricking us again, are you?"
"No, I swear it's true! If you just go inside a little further..."
Dardan gestured, cold sweat dripping down his face.
I narrowed my eyes and scanned the interior again.
Was this really the Hideout of the Information Guild?
It was incredibly hard to believe.
But at the same time, I thought a place so unassuming might actually be the perfect location.
"...Let's go. We're already here anyway."
I cautiously stepped inside.
The wooden floor wobbled with a creaking sound.
A bizarre sense of tension began to constrict my body.
We looked all over the spacious Warehouse.
I placed a hand on the wall, peeked under the Shelf, and even checked inside a broken Oak Barrel, but...
there was nothing.
The only thing there were a few rats burying themselves into the straw as if startled.
"Hey, do you want to die?"
Baldic gritted his teeth and took a step toward Dardan.
"There's nothing here, you Swindler bastard."
"N-No! It's the truth! They definitely said there was a trade happening here-"
"They did?"
Baldic's eyebrows shot up.
"'Heard there was a trade'? Did you just hear that secondhand too?"
"W-Well... I never had any reason to visit the Information Guild in Mondak myself."
"...You dog bastard."
I let out a deep sigh.
Come to think of it, his claim of 'knowing' was just based on hearsay.
He didn't know anything important and was just stringing us along with smooth talk.
"Phew, a Warehouse like this would be more fitting as a Thief gang's Hideout."
Baldic muttered.
"What's this? Did someone come in?"
"Huh? Someone came in?"
Two shadows were cast beyond the old Warehouse door.
A light, breezy tone of voice.
But I suddenly caught a hint of unfamiliar wariness at the end of their words.
"Who's there?"
A low-pitched voice.
They didn't hide their hostility, but they weren't about to draw their swords right away either.
"......."
We looked at each other for a moment.
Then, without a word, we slowly raised our hands and stepped forward.
"We have no intention of attacking. Dardan, explain."
When I pointed at Dardan with my chin, the guy flinched in surprise and took a step back.
But it was already too late.
The shadows by the door were approaching, and it wasn't long before they revealed themselves.
One was a tall, broad-shouldered man.
Beside him stood a relatively slender woman.
Both of them clearly weren't civilians at a glance.
Leather Vests and short Cloaks, with bulging silhouettes that suggested hidden Weapons.
And both had the eyes of people accustomed to fighting.
"...Dardan, what did you do this time?"
The woman spoke first.
Her cynical tone gave off the impression that they definitely knew each other.
"N-No, well, I was just, these people really came looking for me, so-"
"Shut up. If you're lying, you'll really lose a rib this time."
At those words, Dardan blinked and shut his mouth.
I quietly lowered my hands and faced them.
"We came because we have business with the Information Guild. We didn't necessarily plan on following Dardan."
The man quietly looked us over before speaking.
"People interested in the Information Guild... You're quite the rare guests these days."
"Are you folks from the Information Guild?"
"...You're not wrong."
Instead of continuing, he observed us closely for a moment.
Then, he scanned my face and showed a slight hint of surprise.
"Don't tell me, that Magician?"
"What? A Magician?"
Both of them flinched at the same time and reflexively took a step back.
Seeing them glance at my hands, it seemed they knew a bit about Magic.
The rumors must have really spread.
Or was it because these guys belonged to the Information Guild?
Whatever it was, it wasn't exactly a good thing.
"...That's true, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"...A Magician makes for an excellent client. Follow me."
With those words, he began walking deeper into the Warehouse.